Slide fasteners



B. M. MERCER 2,790,224

SLIDE FASTENERS April 30, 1957 Filed Feb. 25, 1953 I N VEN TOR.

If! 1% Mercer ATTORNEY Unite rates Patent SLIDE FASTENERS Bert M. Mercer, New York, N. Y.

Application February 26, 1953, Serial N 339,146

9 Claims. (Cl. 24-20515) This invention relates to slide fasteners, and more particularly to the slider by which opening and closing of the interlocking elements is obtained.

Slide fasteners in general are composed of two rows of interlocking fastening elements each with an indentation or socket to receive a corresponding protuberance of a-successive element of'the opposite row. A slider riding in one direction upon the two rows of elements successively spreads the elements from each other to release the protuberances one at a time from engagement in the sockets of the elements of the other row. Similarly, moving the slider in the other direction introduces the elements of each row between elements of the other row and swings them back to parallelism so the protuberances successively interlock in the sockets therefor.

It is a frequent experience by users of slide fasteners to move the slider part way along the rows of fastener elements and suddenly have the slider stick, often so it cannot be moved one Way or the other. When this happens with slide fasteners in positions, such as under an arm or at the back of a dress where the user cannot see what the trouble may be, it becomes a serious prob-' lem. In other instances, a slider often becomes jammed or otherwise damaged in the washing and ironing of' the garment on which attached, and this circumstance in the past has necessitated removal of the tapes on which the fastener elements are mounted and replace the entire slide fastener with a new one that has to be sewn to the garment. This is time consuming and exceptionally aggravating if the damage is discovered at a time when stores are not open and the garment is needed for immediate wear.

The uses of slide fasteners are varied and many, but there are some instances where use would be desirable on a garment, such as a dress, that can be turned inside out. With prior constructions of slide fasteners, the problem then arises in connection with the location 'of the operating handle of the slider, for in one instance it would be at the outside of the garment Where appropriate ly accessible, but in the other instance would be at the inside of the garment where it would be inaccessible.

Broadly, my invention contemplates a slide fastener having a slider that is removable from and replaceable' upon the rows of fastening elements.

ing handle therefor selectively at either side of the rows of fastening elements.

ice

of fastening elements at any location along the length of said rows.

A further object of the invention is to not only provide a removable and replaceable slider, but to utilize a construction requiring an intentional and positive action to release the slider.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a reversible slider adaptable to all sizes from the smallest to the largest of present commercial slide fasteners.

Still further objects of the invention will appear to persons skilled in the art to which it appertains, as the description proceeds, both by direct recitation thereof and by implication from the context.

Referring to theaccompanying drawing, in which like numerals of reference indicate similarparts throughout the several views:

Figure l is a-plan of a sliderembodying m'yinventiomfi Figure 2 is a longitudinal section on line 22 of Fig. 1, the slider in both of these views being in closed po sition; I

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the slider and shows' the same in open position;

Figure 4 is a sectional view on line 44 of Fig. l, transversely-of the handle and slidable rider or spreader carried thereby; s

Figure 5 is a broken-away plan showing said rider or spreader in its releasing position for enabling the slider to be opened;

Figures 6 and 7 are perspective views of the body members of the slider which may be specifically desiginated foridentificationpurposes as the upper and lower plates respectively, and looking at both toward their faces which are at the inside of the slider when assembled;

Figure 8 is a perspective view looking toward the outer face of the upper plate before assembly of the handle therewith; Figure 9 is aperspective view of a modified construction of rider or spreader prior to assembly with the handle; and

Figure 10 is a cross sectional view transverse to the "handle and showing the modified rider or spreader mounted in operative relation therewith.

In the specific embodiment of the invention illustrated in said drawing, the body of the slider is shown comprised essentially of two members, which for convenience are referred to herein as top plate 15 and bottom plate 16. These plates are located, in closed relationship, in parallelism one above the other, and both have a peripheral shape or contour flaring laterally intermediate of the forward and rearward ends thereof.

" Furthermore, said plates are hinged, as by hinge pin 17 near whatmay be termed the rearward end of each, one to the other so that the plates may be swung, like a pair of jaws, away from each other at their forward ends and still be one above the other.

Said plates 15, 16 have side walls 18 extending from V the forward end to substantially midway of the length In conjunction with the foregoing purposes, the inven- 7 A more specific object of the invention is, to provide a slider, that, should it becomedamaged or stick,.is removable without further sliding thereof from the rows of the plates, each side wall of one plate being directly opposed by a like side wall of the other plate. These side walls cooperate to form a channel 19 for reception of the rows of slide fastener elements, said walls in closed position of the plates confining said elements to slide within said channel. The side walls of-one plate do not quite meet the side walls of the other plate, thereby leaving a gap through which the cloth tape that carries said fastener elements may protrude. Longitudinally at the rearward portion of one of said plates, here shown as bottom plate 16, is a central divider 20 the nose or apex of which extends forwardly toward the space between the side walls so as to form said channel substantially in the shape of a short-stemmed Y.

The arbitrarily selected showing by which the plates are hinged to each other comprises longitudinally dividing the rearward end of the divider 20 of bottom plate 16 by a slot 21 so that the said rearward end may conveniently constitute a pair of parallel hinge stocks 22 each having a transverse hole 23 for reception of aforementioned hinge pin 17. The upper plate has a single hinge stock or tongue 24 which may swing and be guided in said slot 21 between said pair of hinge stocks, and has an appropriately located transverse hole 25 to also receive said hinge pin. By virtue of the extensive interengaging side surfaces of the pair of hinge stocks with correspondingly extensive side surfaces of the single hinge stock, the plates are maintained against lateral displace ment and are always in juxtaposed relation. Furthermore, the upper faces of the pair of hinge stocks form a convenient stop for engagement by the under face of the upper plate for locating the plates in parallelism in their closed positions. In order to prevent the plates from swinging open too far, the lower rear corner of the single hinge stock is provided with a lip 26 which swings forward as the slider is opened and engages a rear end portion of the lower plate functioning as a stop 27.

According to my invention, I provide a means for locking the hinged plates in closed relationship, the lock, however, being readily releasable for enabling the slider to be opened when desired. In carrying out this feature of the invention, the upper plate 15 is provided with a central slot 28 therein extending forwardly at the front end of single hinge stock 24. The forward end of divider has a head 29 projecting upwardly therefrom and arranged to project through said slot 28 when the plates are in their closed parallel positions. At the top side of upper plate 15 at opposite sides of said slot 28 are a pair of cars 30. With the plates in closed position, the said head 29 and cars 30 will be juxtaposed andare provided with aligned holes for correspondingly aligned pintles 31 constituting hinging terminals at the inner end of a swinging handle 32. The hole through head 29 is designated by numeral 33 and those through the ears are indicated at 34. As one practical means of assembly, said ears are shown in Fig. 8 as initially of forked shape open upwardly. After the pintles 31 are placed therein, the forked ends of the ears are pinched. together thereby forming the confining holes 34 for said pintles which are then both rotatable and slidable therein.

Handle 32 is preferably constructed as a resilient loop with said pintles 31 next the otherwise open end of the loop and normally having their facing ends substantially in engagement and projecting into the hole 33 in head 29. By virtue of the resiliency of said loop handle, however, the pintles may be withdrawn from said hole 33 and while they are in that retracted position, the upper plate can be swung away from the bottom plate, withdrawing the head 29 through slot 28. To insure equal retraction of both pintles and also to prevent withdrawal of the pintles entirely from the ears, lugs 35 are shown projecting from the upper face of upper plate 15 in the path of movement of the side reaches of the handle opposite the pintles appropriately spaced to afford only the desired restricted sliding movement of said pintles. When the plates are returned to their closed position, the pintles may again be introduced into hole 33 to lock them closed.

Within the loop of the resilient handle 32 is slidably mounted a rider or spreader 36 the normal position for which is next to the outer or closed end of the loop. The width of this rider and loop width are such that when said rider is in its normal position it is exerting no dilating or spreading force upon the side reaches of the loop and therefore the pintles at the other end of the loop are in their normal inward position. However, a medial part of the loop has less width, thus providing sloping longitudinal inner surfaces 37 on thereaches of vthe loop rearwardly from the normal position of the rider. Resultant 4 from this structure, as the rider is slid rearwardly toward the pintles, it rides upon said sloping surfaces and spreads the handle which in turn releases the inner ends of the pintles from engagement in hole 33 of head 29 and permits the plates to be swung apart. The rider stays in the position to which it is slid, and therefore when the time comes to close the plates together the pintles will not be in the way. After the plates are closed, the rider is returned to its outermost or normal position and the pintles then again function to lock the plates closed.

The rider 36 shown in Figures 1 to 5 inclusive, is a sheet metal eyelet having parallel flanges projecting outwardly at opposite ends of a neck portion around the entire periphery of the neck. Its somewhat oval shape has the advantage of aifording more surface for gripping with the fingers, and also restricts the sliding motion and improves its spreading action. The rider may, however, be otherwise constructed. For instance, a modified and somewhat more substantial construction of rider may,

provide a neck which will be less subject to deformation and flanges which will be less likely to bind.

A modified construction of rider incorporating the features specified above is shown in Figures9 and 10 and it will be observed that one flange 40 thereof forms with neck 41 a fiat solid-metal end surface for the rider,

and that neck 41 has a preformed length with shoulders It may not be amiss to mention that the handle here shown is equipped with a locking finger 45 at its end next to the pintles. general plane of the handle so that when the handle is swung down against the upper plate the finger 45 will project through an aperture 46 in said plate and engage between elements of the underlying row of the fastener elements to lock the slider from inadvertently sliding.

The slider of my invention accordingly provides the feature of being removable from any part of its path of travel along the rows of fastener elements simply by sliding the rider 36 on the handle 32 inwardly toward the hinged end of said handle. I Inasmuch as that movement of the rider spreads the handle pintles 31 far enough apart to clear the head 29 protruding from the divider 20 of the bottom plate 16, the upper plate 15 becomesreleased to swing open on hinge pin 17 as far as permitted until lip 26 engages stop 27. In this open position of the slider it is no longer attached to the rows of fastener elements and can be removed and is replacable either in the position it occupied when removed or in reversed position with the handle 32 at the other side of the row of elements. When the head 29 is in its'properlocation between the cars 30 the rider 36 is slid to the outer end of the handle 32 thereby permitting the resiliency of the handle material to function to return the'ends of the pintles 31 into the hole 33 of the head 29 and again secure the slider in its closed position in place slidably on the rows of slider elements. The handle. 32, pivoting on said pintles 31 may be swung forwardly or rearwardly and pulled, so operation of the slider to slide the same can always be with a pulling action by the user on thehandle. 1

Thus there is never any likelihood of inadvertently sliding the rider 36 to its pintle-releasing position since the rider has to be pushed in a direction opposite from the normal pull on the handle in operating the slider. The moveing mechanism does not add to the over-all dimensions 1 Said finger projects perpendicular to the.

of the slider in any direction, and the mechanisms are such that the device can be scaled down to the smallest size of slide fasteners and function just as well as the larger sizes. I

" Iclaim:

l. A slider for slide fasteners, comprising a pair of plates hinged to swing for releasing the slider, a handle for operating said slider, said handle being of resilient open-ended loop formation with side reaches resiliently tending to close toward each other at the open end of the loop to a normally parallel relation of the said reaches and having ,aligned pintles crosswise of the loop substantially at the open endthereof and locating said pintles normally substantially in end-to-end engagement, said plateshaving means for receivingsaid' pintles when in said normally end-to-end engagement and thereby locking the plates in closed condition at all swung positions of said handle, and, a rider carried by. and between said side reaches of the handle, said rider having slide surfaces riding atthe inwardly .facingsurfaces of said side reaches, said side reaches providing space therebetween toward the closed end of the loop to accommodate said rider with the side reaches in said normally parallel relation and the pintles closed toward each other, and said side reaches having portions of their inwardly facing surfaces proximate to the open end of the loop there providing a spacing less than the width between the slide surfaces of the rider, said rider being slidable between said portions at any swung position of the handle throughout the full amplitude of swing of said handle for thereby spreading the loop and its pintles and unlocking the plates and retaining them unlocked in any of said swung positions of said handle.

2. A slider for slide fasteners in accordance with claim 1, wherein lugs are provided on one of said plates substantially opposite the outer ends of said pintles and spaced therefrom in normally closed condition of the pintles a predetermined distance for limiting spread of said reaches and for centralizing the spread handle with respect to said means for receiving the pintles.

3. A slider for slide fasteners comprising a pair of plates hinged to swing open for releasing the slider, a handle for operating said slider, said handle having pintles and both plates having means for receiving said pintles with said pintles normally located in said means of both plates in all swung positions of said handle so that the pintles thereby lock the plates in closed condition, said pintles permitting said handle to be swung to various positions, and a rider carried by and slidable on the handle and said rider and handle having interengaging surfaces adapted in one slid position of the rider and at any of said various swung positions of the handle to move and hold the pintles out of said means of one plate and thereby unlock the plates and retain said plates unlocked and permit the plates to swing to open condition and with the handle free to be swung out of the way while still retaining said plates unlocked.

4. A slider for slide fasteners comprising a pair of plates hinged to swing open for releasing the slider, a handle for operating said slider, said handle having inwardly directed pintles normally substantially meeting at their inner ends, one plate having ears projecting therefrom and permanently receiving said pintles therein, and the other plate having a head adapted to protrude between said ears in closed condition of said plates and receive ends of the pintles in said head at all swung positions of said handle so the pintles thereby lock the plates in closed condition, said pintles permitting said handle to be swung to various positions, and a rider carried by and slidable on the handle and said rider and handle having interengaging surfaces adapted in one slid position of the rider and at any of said various swung positions of the handle to move and hold the pintles out of said head and thereby unlock the plates and retain said plates unlocked irrespective of swung position of said handle and permit the plates to s'wing to open condition. 7 I

5. A slider for slide fasteners comprising a pair of plates hinged to swing open for releasing the slider, a handle for operating said slider, said handle having resilient reaches adapted to be spread at one end, inwardly directed pintles normally substantially meeting at their inner ends, said pintles being integral with said reaches at the spreading ends thereof whereby said pintles move away from each other when the handle is spread, both plates having means for receiving said pintles with said pintles normally located insaid'me'ans of both plates in all swung Positions of said handle 'sothe pintles thereby lock theplates in closed condition, said pintles permitting said handle to be swung to various positions, and a rider carried by and slidable on the handle between and in overriding engagement with said reaches and slidable thereon and adapted in one slid position of the rider and at any of" said various swung positions of thehandle to spread the handle and hold the pintles separated at their said"innerlendsandout of said means of one plate and therebykunlock the platesand irrespective of swung position of said handle retain said plates unlocked and permit the plates to swing to open condition.

6. A slider for slide fasteners comprising a pair of plates hinged to swing open for releasing the slider, a handle for operating said slider, said handle having resilient reaches adapted to be spread at one end, inwardly directed pintles normally substantially meeting at their inner ends, said pintles being integral with said reaches at the spreading ends thereof whereby said pintles move away from each other when the handle is spread, one plate having ears projecting therefrom and permanently receiving said pintles therein, and the other plate having a head adapted to protrude between said ears in closed condition of said plates and receive ends of the pintles in said head at all swung positions of said handle so the pintles thereby lock the plates in closed condition, said pintles permitting said handleto be swung to various positions, and a rider carried by said handle and slidable thereon at any of the various swung positions of the handle, said rider and handle having interengaging surfaces adapted in one position of the rider and at any of the various swung positions of the handle to spread the handle and move and hold the pintles out of said head and thereby unlock the plates and retain said plates unlocked and permit the plates to swing to open condition and with the handle free to be swung out of the way while still retaining said plates unlocked.

7. A slider for slide fasteners comprising hinged plates each having an apertured projection and said projections adapted to be juxtaposed with the apertures in aligned registration in closed condition of the plates, a handle for operating said slider, said handle having a pintle slidable in said apertures, said pintle being slidable out of one aperture and retained slidably in the other aperture, said pintle permitting said handle to be swung to various positions from end to end of its full amplitude of swing with said pintle in both of said apertures, and a rider mounted on and slidable longitudinally of said handle at any of said various swung positions of the handle, said handle having a sloping surface engaged by said rider in one slid position thereof for moving and holding the pintle out of said one aperture irrespective of the position to which the handle may be swung.

8. A slider for slide fasteners comprising a pair of pivoted plates hinged together, one of said plates having an aperture therein and ears adjacent thereto, and the other plate having a head insertable through said aperture into juxtaposition to said ears, said head and ears having aligned holes therein, and means detachably securing said head between said ears, said means comprising a resilient loop having one end open and the other end closed and the open end having pintles transverse to the loop and directed in axial alignment toward each other, said pintles together constituting a pivot-permitting said loop to be swung to various positions, said pintles being retained in the holes of said ears andinsertable into the hole of, said head-underinfluence'of the resiliency of said loop at allswung positions ofsaid handle, and a rider mounted in said loop and having sliding and expanding contact therewith for spreading the loop and holding it spread with the rider in one slid;position and the Ioop in any .of its various swung Positions and thereby retaining the pintles withdrawn :"fromthe hole in the head irrespective of the swung position of said loop. 7

9. A means for releasing locking pintles of a detachable rslider for a slide fastener, comprising a swingable looped handle having one end open and the other end closed and having inwardlydirected substantially meetingtransverse pintles at the open end thereof for swingably -mounting said loop to swing to anyone of various swung positions, a rider-within said loop, saidrider having a width substantially equal to the width ofthe 100p next to the closed end thereof, and saidloop having a sloping narrower portion intermediate of the ends :of the loop into which said rider .is slidablev for forcing-the lop further open thereat and thereby forcing the loop tur her open a h ninth-car ying nd he eof wher y sa P n l s a e spre d away mm ea hothe i sp adins be ec e -any o hewari u wuns posi on of the loop, and said rider retaining said loop and pintles spread notwithstanding swinging of said loop toa' diiferent one of positions to which it is swingable.

References Citedin the file this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 701,440 Wilkinson June 3, 1902 1,856,843 Bebel, V ,May.3, "1932 -1 ;942 ,912 Bebel Ian. 9, 1934 2,111,004 Pruzan Mar. 15, 1938 2,205,694 ,Morin V June 25, '1940 2,495,176 Nissen Ian. 17, 1950 2507 511 Freidag May l6, 1950 2 526653 Gei'stnian, Oct. 24, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS 454,917 Canada o Mar. 8, 1949 273,689 Switzerland May 16, 1951 

